Draft-equalizer.



No. 888,298. PATENTED'MAR. 31. 1908f F 'DURGIN.

DRAFT E'QUALIZBR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1907.

A TTORNE VS FRANK DURGIN, OF SIOUX, NEBRASKA.

DRAFT-E QUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Application filed July 16, 1907. Serial No. 384,071.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DURGIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux, in the county of Dakota and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Draft-Equalizer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a removable attachment or bracket for application to heavy vehicles for equalizing the draft of an unequal number of horses abreast when the vehicle has but one tongue or pole.

The object of this invention. is to provide a simple, strong and quickly applied bracket attachment to a vehicle pole with which a horse evener is coupled in the same manner as a double tree is fastened to the tongue. To the horse evener, a double tree and swingle trees are fastened in a way well understood.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the draft gear of a wagon with the improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the removable bracket detached.

Similar reference numerals are used on the same parts in both figures.

Referring to Fig. 1 the numeral 1 indicates part of the draft gear of a vehicle of which the hounds are numbered 2. Between the hounds are side pieces 3 attached to the rear end of the tongue 4 pivoted. to the hounds by a bar 5 passing therethrough and through the tongue and side pieces 8.

The improved bracket 6 .to which the evener or e ualizer 7 is attached, consists of a strip of p ate metal, steel preferred, made in angular or V form by stamping it from a plate of metal either directly, or in a narrow strip and then bending it edgewise to shape. The forward arm 8 of the bracket 6 has on its end a head or widened portion 9 provided with a slot or a plurality of holes 10 through which and through the hole in the tongue for the usual double tree bolt, a fastening bolt 11 is passed to secure the enlarged end 9 of the bracket arm to the tongue. The bracket arm 8 projects in a straight line on one side of the tongue 4 at a right angle thereto, as far as necessary for the attachment of the equalizer 7, the bracket there has a turn 12 to the rear and inwardly and extends in a straight line to the tongue forming a brace arm 13 the end of which is bent into the shape of a hook 14 which engages the inner end of the tongue, just in rear of the pivot bar 5.

At the point where the equalizer 7 is to be attached to the arm 8 of the bracket there is a vertical erforation 15 over which lies the hammer p ate 16 extending forwardly from its attachment to the rear arm 13 of the bracket 6. The hammer plate has also a perforation for a bolt 17 extending therethrough, through the equalizer and the arm 8, being secured below the bracket by a nut 18. The simplicity of the invention is self evident; but one bolt is needed to fasten it in place and that bolt passes through a hole always formed in a tongue. The inner end of the brace arm 13 is bent to such shape that it snugly embraces the inner end of the tongue and holds the bracket thoroughly steady and in perfect balance. The bracket is uickly adjusted, or detached from a vehicle by loosening or removing one bolt only and as easily applied. It possesses great durability and produces-the smallest possible side draft.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a draft equalizer, a tongue, combined with an integral angular or V shaped bracket projecting from one side thereof, the front arm of said bracket being firmly bolted to said tongue, and the rear arm provided with a hooked end to engage the side of the tongue in rear of the first arm, and means for attaching an equalizer bar to the bracket.

2. In a draft equalizer, a tongue, combined with an angular or V shaped bracket, the front arm of said bracket firmly bolted to said tongue and projecting to one side of and perpendicular to the same, a brace arm integral with and extending from the first mentioned arm rearwardly and at an angle thereto and has its end shaped into a hook to engage one side of the tongue in rear of its pivot bar, a hammer strap attached to the brace arm and extending forwardly over the other arm, and an equalizer bar pivoted between the hammer strap and the bracket arm below.

3. In a draft equalizer, a tongue, combined with a skeleton bracket of angular or V shape the front arm of said bracket having a transverse head on one end having a plurality of holes through which the bolt is passed for attaching it to the tongue, said arm projecting perpendicular to the tongue on one side and having an opening for a draft bolt, an integral brace arm extending rearward from the first mentioned arm and having its end hooked around the pole, and a hammer strap strap fastened to the last named arm and attached to the brace arm and extending extending over the first named arm perpenover said first named arm perpendicular dicular thereto and in a different plane, a bolt 15 thereto, and an equalizer mounted on the hole passing through the hammer strap and 5 bracket. the first named arm in line With each other.

4. As an article of manufacture, a bracket In testimony that I claim the foregoing as for draft equalizers comprising an integral my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature V-shaped skeleton structure, one arm of in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

which has at its end a transverse head with FRANK DURGIW. 10 bolt openings therethrough disposed in a line Witnesses:

transverse to said arm, the other arm having F. A. W001),

its end formed into a hook, and a hammer FRANK MODLIN. 

